Paramotoring
Flying a paraglider with a motor is one of the fastest growing aspects of ultra-light aviation. With a relatively simple aircraft that fits on your back, you can launch, fly and land in places you never thought possible before. Paramotor flight offers you the ability to fly on your own from flat ground. You can gain thousands of feet of altitude or just cruise around close to the ground. If you are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to own your personal flying machine, this may be just what you are looking for.
What is motorized paragliding or powered paragliding
A. With a gas-fueled motor unit attached to the pilot's
back by means of a special harness, it is possible to paraglide in areas
where, and at times when, flying sites or conditions are limited or non-existent.
With thorough training a backpack motor pilot can use the motor to launch
and then spend the rest of the day ridge soaring or thermaling, using the
motor only when necessary to keep from landing. All of the same general
considerations discussed about paragliders apply to motor units.
Since the pilot will be launching and landing with 45 lbs. to 100 lbs.
of additional weight, it is extremely important that the pilot be competent
in evaluating the conditions and have the appropriate skills. There has
been a serious problem at this end of paragliding with the distribution
of inferior equipment by individuals with little or no formal training.
These companies prey on the naive and are a threat to the longevity of
our sport in the United States due to the number of accidents and airspace
and other legal violations. This sport is far more complicated than a
"sports catalogue" will lead you to believe. You should secure
a USHGA Novice license before using a motor unit. The information and
training provided in a Novice course is crucial to your long term success
with a motor.
It is our opinion that you want the most durable and powerful motor you
can purchase. Large fuel tanks are heavy, yet are rarely filled to the
brim due to the added weight. Portability is an important consideration.
Although you will hear otherwise from some motor distributors, you do
not usually need a larger glider than the one you would fly without a
motor. We actually want you a little heavy on your glider. The glider
you would normally fly without a motor should be fine for motorized flying.
Some paragliders are more user friendly than others when combined with
motors. Develop a solid relationship with an instructor experienced in
motorized paragliding before purchasing equipment. "Good deals"
generally end up costing the naive new pilot a great deal of money.